Signments



(No Model.)

V. E. DOREMUS. DRIVING GEAR.

No. 599,321. Patented Feb. 22, 1898.

T lNVE/VTUR ATTORNEYS.

STaTns PATENT Orrrcn.

VICTOR E. DOREMUS, OF BROOKLYN, NEIV YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO PATRICK T. WALL, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

DRlVlNG GEARl.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,321, dated February 22, 1898.

Application filed December 1, 1896. Serial No. 614,070. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VICTOR E. DOREMUS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving-Gears, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in driving-gear for bicycles or other similar vehicles, the object of the invention being to supply a device of this character which is so constructed as to provide means whereby a rider may rest on his pedals when coasting or traveling downgrade without the necessity of lifting his feet therefrom.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the annexed claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a bicycle-frame, showin g the driving-shaft and sprocket-Wheel connected to each other in accordance with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on a line w 00 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the sprocket-wheel in its loosened or unlocked position, and Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the locked position of the sprocket-wheel in relation to the driVingshaft.

'In the practice of my invention an ordinary sprocket-wheel A is provided through the hub thereof with a spiral groove a, which said groove is adapted to register or engage with a spiral projection b of an ordinary crank or driving-shaft B, which said shaft is mounted in the usual manner upon ball-bearings c of a journal-box O, which forms part of the bicycle-frame D.

The sprocket-wheel A is normally loosely mounted upon the end Z) of the shaft 13, and it is pressed outwardly by means of a spiral spring E, which surrounds the shaft B. This spring assists in making connection between the wheel A and shaft B when the pedals are operated for the purpose of propelling the machine.

The two ends of the shaft B are supplied with the ordinary pedal-cranks-G, which said cranks are securely attached thereto by any suitable common means.

In the operation of the device rotary motion will be applied to the shaft B through the medium of the cranks G in the direction of the arrow, and this said motion will cause the thread 12 to engage the spiral groove 0; of the sprocket-wheel A,whereby said Wheel will be caused to revolve in the same direction the cranks are moving for the purpose of driving the chain adapted to be operated by said wheel. This operation will be continued while the machine is traveling upon a level surface; but when traveling on a downward grade and when it is desired to coast a rider may simply stop pedaling and bear on the pedals, bringing the shaft B to position of rest. The momentum already acquired by the machine will then cause the same to continue its descent, and the sprocket-wheel A, continuing to revolve upon the shaft B, will be unscrewed or disengaged from the thread I), as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. When level ground is again reached, the rider will continue to pedal as before and the groove a, will engage with the thread I) automatically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a bicycle driving-gear, a pedal-shaft having a spiral rib or projection thereon and a loosely-mounted sprocket-wheel laterally movable on the shaft and adapted to turn upon a smooth portion thereof when not driving, said Wheel being provided with a spiral groove for engagement with the projection of the shaft, and a spring adapted to move said wheel into engagement with the shaft, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 25th day of November, 1896.

VICTOR E. DoREMUs.

WVitnesses:

C. Snnewrcn, M. G. MAOLEAN. 

